Boxes and Supplies

It is essential to use the right type of packing material when packing up your household goods to help prevent damage. This guide is designed to help you to choose the right material by showing you what is available. There are many different size boxes suitable for different items and there are a variety of other packing materials you will need which are detailed below.

The following boxes and packing materials are used specifically for household moving. These boxes and packing materials are manufactured to moving industry specification. The may all be purchased from the movers. Please see our Packing Supplies section to order them.

List of Boxes

• Book (1.5 cubic feet), size 17 x 12 3/8 x 12 3/8:
  These small cartons are designed for heavy items, such as books, records, CD's, and canned goods.
• Legal Tote (up to 2.3 cubic feet), size 24 x 16 x 13:
  This box is specially designed for your files and folders.
• Medium (3.0 cubic feet), size 10 1/8 x 18 x 16:
  This box is designed for non-fragile and moderately heavy items, such as pots, pans, linen, folded clothes, toys, games, etc.
• Large (4.5 cubic feet), size 18 x 18 x 24 or (6.0 cubic feet), size 23 x 23 x 20:
  All large bulky articles, very light, such as pillows, comforters, lamp shades.
• China (5.2 cubic feet), size 18 x 18 x 28:
  This box has double extra thick walls specifically designed for dishes, vases, glasses and other fragile items. You can also use cell packs separator for china or glassware with individual compartments for the items being packed.
• Mirror, picture box:
  These narrow boxes accommodate different sized mirrors, paintings, other fragile items and flat items. There is no need for you to purchase these boxes if movers are moving these items, as movers provide packing materials for standard size mirrors and pictures free of charge on the day of the move.
• Wardrobe Box with metal bar:
  This box is equipped with a metal bar so clothes can hang. There is no need for you to purchase these boxes if movers are moving these items, as movers provides wardrobe boxes free of charge on the day of the move.

Miscellaneous Packing Materials

• Tape:
  The most common tape used for carton sealing is a plastic tape called "PVC".
• "Newsprint" paper:
  Movers do not recommend using actual newspapers as wrapping material, as newspaper ink has a tendency to rub off on items it touches and it very difficult to remove it from items such as fine china. Also, movers do not recommend bubble wrap except in very specific circumstances, as bubble wrap is known to be detrimental to the environment. Movers use packing paper, similar to newspaper but without the print, as cushioning material. Movers sell packing paper as well. Please see our moving supplies section.
• Tissue paper:
  This can be used to pack up the most delicate and easily broken items by layering over an over again prior to wrapping in packing paper.
• Ziploc bags:
  These can be used for an assortment of things including small bits and pieces you may have lying about in containers and drawers.
• Magic Markers:
  You will need markers to mark easily visible labels on the boxes with denoting their contents and destination within your new home.